Notion of Good in The Republic

Socrates, in the spirit of coming to the rescue of justice in every way possible, asserts in Book IV that the city "if it is rightly founded, is completely good" and that such a city will exhibit each of four cardinal virtues: it will be "wise, brave moderate, and just" (Grube 93). As Socrates fleshes out the nature of each of these virtues within the city, he observes that for the city to be wise, true wisdom must be found in its rulers. As it is only the carpenter that is supremely knowledgeable in his craft that is deemed a master, so too only a supreme knowledge of guardianship in the guardian class will imbue the city with true wisdom in governance and conduct (Grube 94).

Bravery is to be found in the army; this virtue will logically reside in "that part [of the city] which makes war

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e 99)." It is on this principle that Socrates bridges the notion of the ideal, harmonious city to that of the ideal, harmonious soul. Justice, by invoking the sense of harmony that can only come from moderation, lends itself to an analogy that applies just as well to the soul. Like the city, Socrates shows that the soul is also comprised of components, and that it is harmony among these components that will produce justice. As in all things, that which is just is also that which is good, and therefore, the "best" soul will exhibit harmony. According to Socrates, the "just man and the just city will be no different but alike as regards the very form of justice (Grube 99)"; therefore, the soul must have components that correspond with those of the city. Socrates, in examining the soul, determines that this is indeed the case. Reason, the spirit, and the appetites are thus introduced, with each of these acting as a corollary to a city-component. The four virtues, too, will also correspond, with justice retaining its position as a product of the harmony that occurs when each component is fulfilling its function. In the individual, Socrates insists that there is a reasonable part, a spirited part, and an appetitive part. G
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Approximate Word count = 1421
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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